Coldwater Shubunkin looking ill - Please help!

[norbie]

Hi guys,

My girlfrend has a 70Litre tank with 2 small goldfih, 2 comets and a very large Shubunkin! (apologies if that's spelt wrong!)

He is a whopping 7" long and has started to look a bit ill.

Although he is fat, he seems to look a bit bloated, and is finding it a bit hard to balance. He hasn't been overhead, and I can't see any visible problems.

He regularly likes to sit facing head down in a plant for long periods of time, which is a bit strange, but he's been fine up until now.

The only thing I can think of that may have something to do with this, is that when the water gets changed it is never treated at all, it's just straight tap water. My girlfriend's excuse for this is that they've always had straight water, and even used to be cleaned out completely and then filled with tap water again, and they've been fine.

If anyone has any ideas or suggestions, then please help!

 

[nitro]

I think the shubunkin is ill because of the fact it is being kept in a tiny 70ltr tank. Due to its size as well at 7inches long in a 70ltr tank it must be at least a third of the length of the tank.

With the waste all goldfish make and especially a 7inch one im surprised the other fish aren't ill due to ammonia spikes etc.

The problem of not being to balance is caused by swimmbladder problem. To help with this fancy goldfish should be fed sinking pellets than flakes, which prevents them taking in air when eating. so cut down the amount of flake you feed it and give it shelled peas this will help a great deal. Try other vegies as well if possible.

With the fact the water is not treated as well means more stress on the fish due t clorine being present in the water. This will eventually kill the fish. The fish probably dosnt swim around much due to the stress it is probably in and the crampt living conditions.

Therefore the only solution to the problem is
1.that your GF either gets al arger tank to house all these goldfish
2. she takes them back to where she got them from.

The other goldfish may look small now but they will grow as large as the shubunkin but no doub they will stunt causing a painfall death. Sorry if this sounds harsh but you cant keep 5 goldfish, one of which 7inches in a 70ltr tank!

 

[norbie]

hi nitro

fair enough comments

before i read your post this fish was housed into a smaller separate tank - (its all that can be done for now) as one of the other fish was for some reason starting to attack him/eat his tail. this has happened before in his original tank with different fish. he was moved out of this tank and given to my gf to look after as he was getting attacked. we presumed this was because he had some infection in his tail and the other fish was trying to bite it off.

the tail healed in his new tank but now hes started to look a bit ill and one of the comets has started nibbling on his tail. this has to be related but i dont see why?

when you say other food rather than flakes could you give more examples? at the moment he is being fed floating sticks

thanks a lot

 

[nitro]

I glad you understand. i was in the same postion myself this time last year. i had two small goldfish in a 45ltr tank/10gallon tank.

when you say other food rather than flakes could you give more examples? at the moment he is being fed floating sticks

Instead of floating flakes,if you can, try and find some sinking goldfish pellets.
Also add veg into its diet such as shelled peas,(peas with the shells taken off). Just try different vegies until yuo find ones that it likes but i can guarentee it will like the peas.

I hope this is what you ment.

 

[WILDER]

Yes I agree that tank is well overstocked with goldfish, the filter won't cope with the waste from all those fish, you will have to try and see if the lfs will take some back, good luck.

 

[norbie]

thanks - im gonna try with those peas for now.

any thoughts on why fish want to eat his tail when he gets ill?

 

[WILDER]

Probably to have one less in the tank with it being overstocked, try some daphnia as well as that helps digestion.

 

[The-Wolf]

thanks - im gonna try with those peas for now.

any thoughts on why fish want to eat his tail when he gets ill?

all of them. mother nature will clear up after herself and fish canabilising the weak and dead is one of those ways.

 

[norbie]

mother nature will clear up after herself and fish canabilising the weak and dead is one of those ways.

Nicely put...

 

[norbie]

he loves the peas

unfortunately my gf wont take any fish back to shops or take him back to his original owner - his old tank there is smaller than the one at her house.

at the moment he has been isolated into a smaller tank to see how it goes. any tips to nurse him back to health? sinking food can be done - anything else?

and if he gets better enough to go back in the big tank again what would have to be done to keep the tank healthy, as it cannot have any stock removed from it. i know this would involve a lot of maintenance. please be truthful as to how much would need to be done to keep fish happy. thanks

 

[WILDER]

You will need to treat the fish with anti internal bacteria med, add some salt to his tank, carry on giving him the peas, you will have to add another filter to the tank to help out with the waste, maybe daily water changes, and keep an eye on water quality, if the fish survive till spring ask around if some frineds or family with a pond will be willing to take some on, good luck.

 

[norbie]

ok

things have gone from bad to worse noiw

he almost certainly is going to die

he's been eating peas and sinking food and has been treated too.

he now looks like this

he has blood streaked fins (bottom ones and tail) and very bloated too. hes only laying on the bottom, very minimal movement, pooing up the tank alot, none of the other fish will go near him, his eye looks like something out of clockwork orange and hes losing his colour, hes no where near as black as he used to be, and his scales stick out at an angle, he basically looks like a puffer fish.

is there anything that can be done?

he cant even be separated into another tank as it's too small

 

[xrenegadex]

could that be Septicemia or Dropsy?

 

[WILDER]

Septicemia is hard to cure and you have alot of illnesses there, only thing is antibiotics but the fish looks to weak for medication, and It won't do much good now anyway, sorry it's awful been there with my sisters goldfish what a nightmare.

 

[norbie]

is there anything than can be done to 'ease the death' or to put him down nicely?